In a recent video shared by the BCCI, the two superstars of the 2nd ODI Smriti Mandhana and Jhulan Goswami got in an interesting conversation trying to spill beans from each other’s daily routine.
While talking about how the pacer managed to pick 4 huge wickets, Mandhana jokingly asked credits for Shabnim Ismail, a left-hand batter’s wicket when Goswami revealed how Mandhana, a left-hand batter too, managed to stay on the field and face her balls during the net practice. Jhulan revealed that she kept bowling to Mandhana on the nets until they sweat it off.
When Smriti asked the pace legend how she felt coming back to the field after almost 20 months and picking up 4 wickets to lead team India towards victory, she said – “I aimed to bowl in the right area and be consistent throughout the game, and as a senior player, give a breakthrough to the team and manage the pressure.”
Smriti revealed what Jhulan said during the 25th over after getting 2 wickets, that she wasn’t satisfied because she hadn’t hit the wickets yet to take the batter out.
Mithali Raj is just 35 short of 10000 international runs 🥳
Test:
Matches: 10
Runs: 663
50’s: 4
100’s: 1
HS: 214ODI:
Matches: 211
Runs: 6938
50’s: 54
100’s: 7
HS 125*T20I:
Matches: 89
Runs: 2364
50’s: 17
HS: 97*Total International Runs so far: 9965@M_Raj03 #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/PFmiyHSFVC
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) March 11, 2021
Calling Smriti “nation’s trust”, Jhulan said that a player like her doesn’t need an introduction. On asking about her plan while batting in the first ODI and chasing in the second one, Mandhana said “For the first ODI, I planned to go easy for the first 5-6 overs so that the moisture is gone and the wicket dries out. But unfortunately, I lost my wicket. But in the second game, I didn’t leave from the first ball because I had seen the wickets in the first innings. I knew the wicket was really good to bat on so I thought of staying on the crease fearlessly and try and not get out for as long as possible.”
Having started the innings well with two sixes in the first over, Smriti’s confidence had already boosted which helped her go on with the game till the end.
Talking about the powerful sixes that Mandhana hit during her innings, she said that her mother has always been very conscious about her diet and she keeps sending fruits and dry fruits to have during the match breaks. Having had control over her diet is one of the major reasons behind her strength and fitness.
Jhulan Goswami took 4 wickets and Smriti Mandhana remained on 80*(64) at the end of the game. India won the 2nd ODI in the five-match series thereby leveling it 1-1. Both the team’s eye for a lead in the next ODI scheduled on 12th March 2021.
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I’m a Senior Masters student pursuing Journalism and Mass Communication. An all time Cricket enthusiast. I could never play the game but always loved watching it, and now writing about it!